Platen for rolling apparatus



March 28,1944. A, vy DQDERER 4 2,345,467

PLATEN FOR ROLLING APPARATUS 'Filed Nov. 15, i941 A j@ @427% i Patented Mar. 28, 1944 PLATEN FOR ROLLING APPARATUS Adolph W. Doderer, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois AppdicationV November 15, 194:1, Serial Noi 419,279

4 Claims.

This invention relates to disc rolling apparatus and particularly to a platen therefor.

It has been proposed to form a centrally apertured disc or other circular object by rolling and spinning the object from some intermediate diameter radially outwardly to expand the diameter of the object and also radially inwardly to decrease the size of the central opening. A method for forming circular objects in such a manner is described in a copending application of R. C. Ingersoll, filed November 3, 1941, Serial No. 417,600. In accordance with the Ingersoll method the central opening may be larger or smaller depending upon the starting diameter for the inward rolling. It is contemplated that by the proper selection of the starting diameter no waste will be produced except for that resulting from trimming the inner opening to` its iinal size.

Where the rolling-in step is used for the formation of relatively large sized discs, such as those used for vehicle wheels, the central portion of the disc is usually quite thick so that the trimming operation for the central opening requires extremely large pressures and sturdy apparatus. It is also extremely important that the blank be accurately balanced. If the outer portion has been rolled first so as to provide a tapered crosssection, the tapered portion must be exactly centered in the trimming machine to preserve the balance in the blank. This requires that a delinite point of reference be used in all related operations.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a means for obtaining a reference point during the rolling-in step on the blank which may be used to preserve a predetermined relationship in a succeeding operation on the blank.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus to be used in the rolling-in step of the Ingersoll process or in a similar process wherein the central opening is formed at least in part in the rolling step, whereby the thickness of the material which must be removed by the trimming operation is materially reduced so as to make possible the use of lighter equipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for use in a rolling-in operation wherein different-sized openings may be preformed as desired.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for use in a rolling-in operation wherein the central fiat section usually provided for use in attaching the object to its support may 55 beimade of various-sizes to suit the requirements ofthe manufacturer. f.

These and otherV objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description When taken together with the accompanying drawing. inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section of an apparatus which is Ydesigned to roll a circular blank inward to decrease Vthe diameter of its central opening;v

Fig. 2 is an enlargedv section taken through the support forV the blank showing the novel preforming apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken through a modification of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1 for a brief description ofthe apparatus, said apparatusis comprised of a rotatable base I0 on which is mounted a platen I I having a conical portion I 2 and a substantially flat portion I3. This particular form of platen is shown for purposes of illustration only and not by Way of limitation, it being understood that the platen may assume any form desired insofar as this invention is concerned. Rotatable with platen Il isa plurality of lugs I4 in each of which is pivoted a centrifugal clamp I5, said clamp being comprised of a weight portion I6 and an operative portion II. It is understood that other clampingl means might be employed Without departing from the scope of this invention.

A stationary frame I8 straddles rotatable support IIJ and. supports a roll head4 I9 which is reciprocable relative to platen I I. 'Said roll head I9 is provided with a roll carriage 2!) in which is mounted a roll 2|'L said roll carriage 20 being traversable over the surface ofplaten II by means of a rod 22 secured to carriage 20 and connected to a double action hydraulic cylinder or other power means (not shown). Downward movement of roll head I9 is limited by means of lugs. 23- on frame I8 which are interposed in the path of movement of adjustable blocks 24 secured to roll head I9.

A blank 2'5 having the form shown in Fig. 1 may be placed onplaten l-I, and when the latter is rotated, operative portions I'I of centrifugal clamps I5 contact the outer edges of the blank and hold the entire blank firmly against the platen. Since the centrifugal force developed in clamps I5 is a function of the square of the angular velocity of the platen, the clamping action increases as the square of the speed of rotation of platen II.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows:

Assuming that a blank 25 has been placed upon platen I I and that the latter is then rotated, so that clamps I5 hold blank 25 rmly against the platen, roll head I9 is lowered until blocks 24 contact lugs 23, and then roll carriage 2li is moved to the right-from approximately the position shown in Fig. 1, contacting blank 25 substantially at the corner formed by the juncture of flat portion I3 and conical portion I2. Roll carriage continues to move radially inwardly with respect to platen II until some point near the center of rotation of the blank is reached, whereupon further movement toward the right is arrested, roll head I9 is raised, and carriage 20 is returned to its starting position. Platen I I is then stopped by some suitable means to permit clamps I5 to assume a releasing position and blank is removed from the machine to permit the insertion 0f a succeeding blank to be rolled.

Referring now to Fig. 2' for a detailed description of the invention, it will be observed that platen II is formed from two sections 25 and 21, section 26 being piloted at 28 in a recess 29 in section 2'I. It is contemplated that inasmuch as roll 2| does not operate over the entire surface of platen II, it is'only necessary to furnish a hardened supporting surface on platen I I for that portion of the blank which is to be operated upon by the roll. For this reason, section 26 of the platen need not be hardened but section `2" is hardened to withstand the` pressures imposed thereon by the roll.

Section 21 is secured to section 26 by means of screws 30 and is removable from section 26 merely by removing said screws 30. It is also contemplated that diierent forms of blanks may be rolled by this process upon platen |I merely by replacing section 2`| by one appropriately formed. Thus if it is desired to form a blank having a longer conical portion and a correspondingly shorter flat portion, such a blank may be accommodated in the machine described merely by removing section 2'I and substituting for it one having the proper length of conical portion and at portion. n

Section 21 is provided with an inner ridge 3| which is initially smaller in diameter than the diameter of the aperture in blank 25. This is shown more clearly in Fig. l wherein it is apparent that ridge 3| is of such a diameter that a considerable space is present between it and the edges of aperture 32 in blank 25. Ridge 3| if of lesser height than the ultimate thicknessof the central portion of the blank after said central portion has been rolled. It is formed with a surface which is preferably sloped inward with respect to the plane of the central portion of the blank, and with a sloping surface 36 which forms a central recess 31 for the reception of excess material. The slight inward slope or taper is desirable since without it, the blankA may cool and shrink against the ridge thereby making it necessary to destroy the blank in order to remove it from the platen. If, however, the blank can be removed promptly upon the completion of the rolling operation so that it cannot cool sufficiently to cause it to bind against the ridge, surface dll can be made perpendicular with respect to the plane cf the central portion. f

It is apparent that when roll 2 I cooperates with blank 25 it moves the metal from the corner 33, formed by the junction of-at regions 34 of vblank 25 with conical region 35,'l radially inwardly,

thereby progressively decreasing the size of opening 32 in the blank. Enough material is moved by the roll so that the entire space between ridge 3| and the initial opening 32 in the blank will be lled and any excess metal present will be forced over the edge of ridge 3| and thence down sloping -surface 36 at the inner portion of the ridge into the recess 31 located at the center of section 27. Since ridge 3| is accurately machined, it will form a circular, accurately contoured indentation at the central portion of the blank.V When the blank is removed from the platen after having been rolled, the circular indentation is used as a reference point for centering the blank in the next operation which may be a forming operation. Ultimately, the central opening is trimmed and the indentation may again be used as a reference point or pilot in the trimming machine, or it may be used to lighten the trimming operation, the trimming die being fitted into the indentation so that it is necessary merely to pierce a thin flash 38.

Obviously, ridge 3| may be formed at any point along the surface of section 21 and may have any contour. It may also be removable with respect to section 27 as shown at 3|a, in Fig. 3 to provide different sized pilots or locating indentations for the blank. Likewise, it is clear that any size or form of section 2'1 may be used as shown in dotted lines, for example, at 39.

Since the flash 33 may be made relatively thin, the subsequent trimming operation need not require very sturdy machinery. The recess formed by ridge 3| also functions to provide a means for centering the blank on the trimming die.

It is understood that the foregoing description `is merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the invention and that the scope of the invention therefore is not to be limited thereto but is to be determined by the appended claims,

I claim:

l. A platen for a disc rolling machine wherein a blank having an irregular central opening is to be rolled inwardly toward its center, said platen comprising a supporting region for thc blank and a central ridge removed from the i1- regular central opening, said ridge being shallower than the thickness of the disc immediately adjacent the ridge, whereby a recess is formed in the blank as the latter is rolled over the ridge, the recess facilitating piercing a cen-- tral opening in the blank.

2. A platen for a disc rolling machine wherein a blank is to be rolled inwardly toward its center, said platen comprising a supporting region for the blank and a central ridge, said ridge having a side which is disposed at an angle to the plane of the blank immediately adjacent thereto and another side which is oblique to the plane of the blank whereby to form a pocket for excess material resulting from the rolling operation.

3. A platen for a disc rolling machine wherein a blank is to be rolled inwardly toward its center, said platen comprising a supporting region for the blank and a central ridge, said ridge being shallower thanrthe thickness of the blank immediately adjacent thereto and said ridge having one side sloped radially inward with respect to the plane of the blank and an inner side sloped radially outward with respect to the plane of the blank, whereby excess material formed during the rolling operation is received in the central portion of the platen, said ridge serving to form a recess in the blank to facilitate piercing a central opening therein.

4. A platen for a disc rolling machine wherein a blank is to be rolled inwardly toward its center from an intermediate diameter, said blank being at from said intermediate diameter radially inwardly and being conical from said diameter radially outwardly, said platen comprising a section adapted to contact and support a part of the conical portion of the blank, a second section adapted to contact and support the remainder of the blank, said second section being hardened and being removable from the rstmentioned section, and a ridge in said second section adapted to form a recess in the blank as the latter is rolled in order to facilitate piercing a central opening therein, said ridge being shallower than the thicknes of the blank immediately adjacent thereto, and having an outer surface which is perpendicular to the plane of the blank thereat and an inner surface which is oblique to said plane, said outer surface forming the edge of the opening to be pierced in the 10 blank.

ADOLPH W. DODERER. 

